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News - page 1172

Pixelmator integrates with new MacBook’s Force Touch trackpad

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A staple Mac app now supports Apple's new trackpad. Photo: Pixelmator
A staple Mac app now supports Apple's new trackpad. Photo: Pixelmator

The new MacBook has been out for a couple of weeks, and OS X apps are starting to take advantage of its Force Touch trackpad.

Pixelmator, a popular photo editor and Photoshop alternative on the Mac, is an early example of how third-party developers are utilizing Force Touch. The app recently added support for the pressure sensitive trackpad along with a number of other improvements.

Apple steals talent from BBC Radio 1 for new music service

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Apple has big ambitions for its new music streaming service.
Beats redesign is coming to WWDC 2015. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

When Apple picked up Beats, they got a music service along with the headphone hardware and executive talents of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.

It looks like Apple has just upped its game, internally, in creating a Spotify-killer: Cupertino has just picked up four producers from BBC Radio 1, including key talent from hot radio property “BBC Introducing.”

Defective part slows Apple Watch rollout

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Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Problems with a key component appear to have slowed Apple Watch's launch. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch has been in short supply ever since its hype-filled launch, and a new report claims that it’s all the Taptic Engine’s fault.

Defects in the key Apple Watch component were found in the Apple’s supply chain, severely limiting early supplies of the wearable, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

Apple Watch marketing whiz defects to DKNY

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Former Apple Watch Marketing whiz, Hector Muelas. Photo:
Former Apple Watch marketing whiz, Hector Muelas, has jumped ship for the fashion industry. Photo:

Apple poached talent from fashion brands leading up to the Apple Watch launch, but the tables turned this week as Donna Karan International revealed it has sniped some talent from the tech giant.

Instagram turns on the tunes with new music channel

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Use social media to find out more about your favorite artist. Photo: Instagram
Use social media to find out more about your favorite artist. Photo: Instagram

As Apple prepares to relaunch Beats Music at WWDC, another tech giant is throwing its name in the music ring: Instagram, which has just launched a new @Music account designed to capitalize on its popularity among music fans.

The newly-opened account will share music-related photos, lyrics, and videos, relating to both established artists and new acts you haven’t heard of.

Couchlet turns any sofa or bed into a charging station

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The Couchlet nestles between cushions or under a mattress to make for a more comfortable reach of your phone when charging. Photo: Trident Designs
The Couchlet nestles between cushions or under a mattress to make for a more comfortable reach of your phone when charging. Photo: Trident Design

Chris Hawker does his best thinking when he sees someone doing something awkward. Watching people struggle with everyday tools guides the designer to invent things that solve everyday problems, from peeling a cucumber to powering our growing number of electronic devices.

So when Hawker found himself in an uncomfortable stretch between his couch and the nearest outlet, trying to charge his phone and talk on it at the same time, he wished for a plug-in near his leg.

Hawker came up with Couchlet, a thin, dual-USB port that tucks in between couch cushions or wedges beneath a mattress. On Indiegogo for just three days, the Couchlet attracted more than 1,600 funders and surpassed a $30,000 goal.

5 Apple Watch stands worthy of cradling your beautiful device

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A throne fit for a king. Photo:
A throne fit for a king. Photo: Navitech

 

The Apple Watch is such a stunningly gorgeous piece of engineering that throwing it down on your nightstand at the end of a hard day — as if it were a common-as-dirt Android Wear device — is borderline insulting.

What you need is an equally attractive charging stand to proudly display your new wearable as it’s refreshed for the following day.

But which one to choose? Follow Cult of Mac’s suggestions and you’ll be keeping your Watch battery fully-juiced in style.

In praise of the ambitious, indispensible Apple Watch

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Apple Watch is a great early adopter device. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Apple Watch is going to be a big, fat mainstream hit. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo:

Most early reviews of the Apple Watch didn’t do it justice. It’s fine, they said, but not for everybody.

Come on! COME ON!!!!

The Apple Watch is the most exciting gadget for years. Its ambition is huge. It does a ton of stuff. It’s not some silly smartwatch — it’s a computer for your wrist. And I’m loving it.

Yeah, it has its quirks, and it’s far from perfect, but it’s a great vision, and it’s only going to get better!

It’s a ton of fun, and it works great — except when it doesn’t.

Video shows Apple Watch ‘Tattoogate’ in action

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Using an Apple Watch with a tattoo gives some users a (s)inking feeling. Photo:
Using an Apple Watch with a tattoo gives some users a (s)inking feeling. Photo: guinne55fan

More Apple Watch owners with wrist tattoos are reporting problems using the device. The light sensors that enable the Watch to determine if it’s being worn apparently get confused by tattooed skin.

The problem — let’s call it “Tattoogate” — is possibly the result of metallic pigments used for the inking process, although nobody knows for sure. While the glitch affects only a small number of users, it’s definitely mauling the buzz of some frustrated Apple Watch early adopters.

Cult of Mac reader Michael Lovell spoke with us about his disappointing experiences with the Apple Watch, and even sent in a video demonstrating the problem. Check it out below!

Apple wants Siri to give you navigation instructions like a human

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Apple Maps instructions might get a lot more 'human' soon.
Apple Maps instructions might get a lot more 'human' soon. Photo: Apple
Photo: Apple

Getting direction from a computer sucks, but that could soon change based on a new patent filed by Apple for “Humanized Navigation Instructions for Mapping Applications.

Rather than receiving instructions from an emotion-less robot, Apple’s new patent would make Siri’s turn-by-turn directions sound more like they’re coming from your buddy in the passenger seat by mixing in references to restaurants and landmarks.

Here’s some examples you might here, instead of just being told “in 500 feet, turn right”:

Apple Watch users show off their creativity with custom app layouts

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Apple Watch
Did you know you can customize your Apple Watch app homescreen? Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch is the most personal device you’ll ever use, and it’s not just because you wear it all day.

This is the most customizable Apple product we’ve ever seen. Everything from clock faces to the app homescreen can be tweaked to your personal tastes. Early Apple Watch owners have already come up with a myriad of different ways to change the app homescreen so that it’s just not a giant blob of randomness. Some are a bit crazy, while others are down right brilliant.

Check out out some of the best custom layouts below:

Giants gobble tiny humans in first Attack on Titan trailer

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The Titans are back, and they're hungry. Photo: Toho Distribution
The Titans are back, and they're hungry. Photo: Toho Distribution

Attack on Titan, the cult-hit in ink (manga) and on the small screen (anime), is getting a live-action treatment this summer. The good news is that the feature film is hitting Japan on August 1 and Australia and New Zealand later this same year. The bad news is that we have no details on a U.S. release, though both the manga and anime are still available in this country.

The film is the first of two planned parts, with the second flick, Attack on Titan: End of the World, headed to Japan this coming September.

Tattoos might make Apple Watch malfunction

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Using an Apple Watch with a tattoo gives some users a (s)inking feeling. Photo:
Using an Apple Watch with a tattoo gives some users a (s)inking feeling. Photo: Guinne55fan

With a variety of bands, and price tags ranging all the way from $349 – $17,000, there’s an Apple Watch for everyone. Except, possibly, the heavily tattooed.

That’s according to a new thread on Reddit which claims that several tattoo-sporting Apple Watch customers are having trouble using the device, because the wearable’s wrist-detection feature gets confused by the way in which tattoos reflect the green and infrared light emitted by the Watch.

The result? People with tattoos don’t get notifications, unless they move the Watch to an un-tattooed area, or turn off wrist detection. Not exactly ideal for those with full sleeves!

You can now use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac

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Just Knock on your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac. Photo: Knock
Just Knock on your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac. Photo: Knock

Remember Knock? Released last year, it was an iPhone app that allowed you to unlock your Mac without entering a password, just by tapping on your smartphone’s screen. Now you don’t even need your iPhone handy to use Knock: It’s the latest app to get the inevitable Apple Watch support.

Apple Watch’s interchangeable band mechanism is now patented

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Photo:
You can change your Apple Watch band quickly and easily. Photo: Apple

One of the neat features of the Apple Watch is the ability to quickly and drastically change its appearance by sliding different straps on and off the body of the device.

Achieved by way of a cunning three-contact mechanism, it’s undoubtedly a cool solution and — to paraphrase Steve Jobs — boy, has Apple patented it!

Siri doesn’t like it when you confuse her with Google Now

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Just
Just don't make the mistake of calling Siri by the wrong name! Photo: Apple

Siri’s the O.G. (Original Gangsta) personal assistant, and she doesn’t like it when you confuse her with upstart rivals from Google or Microsoft.

The revelation was discovered by Twitter user and tech writer Danny Sullivan, who found that spurring his Apple Watch into action by saying “OK, Google” garnered the sarcastic response, “Very funny. I mean, not funny ‘ha-ha,’ but funny.”

78% of 1.7 million Apple Watch orders still haven’t shipped

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78% of all Apple Watch orders still haven't shipped. Photo: Slice Intelligence
78% of all Apple Watch orders still haven't shipped. Photo: Slice Intelligence

Last week, researchers at Slice Intelligence claimed that Apple had taken orders for as many as 957,000 Apple Watches in the first 24 hours that it was available on Apple.com. And that was in the U.S. alone.

Now Slice is back, with new numbers suggesting that demand for the Apple Watch is far, far exceeding supply. According to Slice, in fact, Apple may have sold as many as 1.7 million Apple Watches since pre-orders began.

And if your Apple Watch still hasn’t shipped, you’re not alone: 78% of all Apple Watch buyers are in the same boat.